If Your Run Headers and Burn Your Spark Plug Boots - There is a Fix
08-28-2014, 09:02 AM
#1
Melting Slicks
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Member Since: Sep 2003
Location: Northville Michigan
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If Your Run Headers and Burn Your Spark Plug Boots - There is a Fix
Gentlemen,
I run headers, and over the past six years I have burned the boots on my spark plug wires four times. Recently, I installed a new engine:
As part of the engine install I relocated my coils using the Katech coil relocation kit. Their kit supplies brackets and MSD spark plug wires. To help insulate the 600 degree silicone spark plugs boots from the heat of the headers, I installed ThermoTec heat socks as you can see in the picture above.
About 10 days ago I started to notice a part-throttle miss. Over the past I had noticed the same type of miss three times. The other three times it had been an indication of burned spark plug boots. So, I started pulling spark plug wires and here is what I found:
Everything looks fine in this view.
When you turn the wires over everything is not fine. These two wires come from cylinders #4 and #7. In spite of the added protection of the ThermoTec heat socks, the heat from the headers has burned through the 600 degree silicone boots. In the past I would have purchased two new wires, or a new wire set, installed them, and waited until the next time my engine started missing so I could replace them again.
Things are different now!
ACCEL, the makers of spark plugs and wires, has recently released spark plug wires with a CERAMIC boots:
Unfortunately, ACCEL does not make a kit that works with the Katech coil relocation kit. So I called ACCEL and talked to one of their tech support personnel. He told me that if I purchased the ACCEL Universal 45 degree V8 wiring kit - 9002C, the Taylor Products boot kit - 46069, and the ACCEL wiring crimping tool - 170036, I could make up my own wire set. So I went to the Summit Racing web site and entered the part numbers he provided me and here is the result:
I made up eight of these wires, adding about 1-inch in length above what Katech provided, installed them, the miss is gone, and my spark plug wire boot future is much cooler.
-
I run headers, and over the past six years I have burned the boots on my spark plug wires four times. Recently, I installed a new engine:
As part of the engine install I relocated my coils using the Katech coil relocation kit. Their kit supplies brackets and MSD spark plug wires. To help insulate the 600 degree silicone spark plugs boots from the heat of the headers, I installed ThermoTec heat socks as you can see in the picture above.
About 10 days ago I started to notice a part-throttle miss. Over the past I had noticed the same type of miss three times. The other three times it had been an indication of burned spark plug boots. So, I started pulling spark plug wires and here is what I found:
Everything looks fine in this view.
When you turn the wires over everything is not fine. These two wires come from cylinders #4 and #7. In spite of the added protection of the ThermoTec heat socks, the heat from the headers has burned through the 600 degree silicone boots. In the past I would have purchased two new wires, or a new wire set, installed them, and waited until the next time my engine started missing so I could replace them again.
Things are different now!
ACCEL, the makers of spark plugs and wires, has recently released spark plug wires with a CERAMIC boots:
Unfortunately, ACCEL does not make a kit that works with the Katech coil relocation kit. So I called ACCEL and talked to one of their tech support personnel. He told me that if I purchased the ACCEL Universal 45 degree V8 wiring kit - 9002C, the Taylor Products boot kit - 46069, and the ACCEL wiring crimping tool - 170036, I could make up my own wire set. So I went to the Summit Racing web site and entered the part numbers he provided me and here is the result:
I made up eight of these wires, adding about 1-inch in length above what Katech provided, installed them, the miss is gone, and my spark plug wire boot future is much cooler.
-
Last edited by Pumba; 08-28-2014 at 09:15 AM.
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C5 Hardtop (10-24-2020)
08-28-2014, 02:17 PM
#6
Race Director
08-28-2014, 11:57 PM
#8
Right but aluminum shields slide off and are not tight fitting to the boot. They also reflect heat and form a heat shield while letting internal heat escape. They also provide a means to grab and pull the sticky boot off the plug with zero force on the wire or boot. Unlike the lame hub bearings or slipping camber ecentrics the spark plug wire system of vette is pretty darn hard to beat.
08-29-2014, 04:39 PM
#12
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Dec 2005
Location: Port Arthur, Texas 77642
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They look good, I like the look of the red MSD coils but could never justify spending money on a product that (from what I've read here) is not dependable as factory and doesn't benefit performance.
08-29-2014, 06:53 PM
#13
Advanced
Had the same problem years ago. Burned the MSD plug wire boots through the Cool Sox. Talked with a guy at MSD, he said you can bend the MSD boots around so that they are are not in near contact with the Headers. Worked great haven't had a problem for a long time. So go ahead and bend the spark plug boot to work around the header tubes.
04-08-2015, 01:28 PM
#20
Racer
Jim,
Did you ever consider having your headers ceramic coated?
There was a post a while ago discussing 2" headers. In the post there was a video comparing the different sizes on a dyno. One of the tests compared ceramic vs. non ceramic coated headers. The surface temperature of the ceramic coated headers was almost 600 degrees cooler than the non-ceramic coated headers (280 degrees vs. 870 degrees). I have to think that would have to help prevent burning the wire boots as well as reduce the under hood temps.
The added advantage, for someone with a car as nice as yours, is that there is almost no header discoloration from use. I had my American Racing Headers (1 3/4") ceramic coated before they were installed and they still look almost new after 25 days at the track.
I also have Cool Sox on my wires. I'll have to see if there is any degradation to the boots on my wires.
Did you ever consider having your headers ceramic coated?
There was a post a while ago discussing 2" headers. In the post there was a video comparing the different sizes on a dyno. One of the tests compared ceramic vs. non ceramic coated headers. The surface temperature of the ceramic coated headers was almost 600 degrees cooler than the non-ceramic coated headers (280 degrees vs. 870 degrees). I have to think that would have to help prevent burning the wire boots as well as reduce the under hood temps.
The added advantage, for someone with a car as nice as yours, is that there is almost no header discoloration from use. I had my American Racing Headers (1 3/4") ceramic coated before they were installed and they still look almost new after 25 days at the track.
I also have Cool Sox on my wires. I'll have to see if there is any degradation to the boots on my wires.
Last edited by YYZ06; 04-08-2015 at 01:29 PM. Reason: Spelling